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The Magic of Neuroplasticity - Or -How I Changed My Brain

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Jan 19, 2019
  • 2 min read

Our brains are magical! They are capable of changing form and function. They can generate new brain cells, change neural pathways, and create new synapses. This magical function is known as neuroplasticity. It wasn’t that long ago that neuroscientists believed our brains stopped changing when we reached our late twenties. Our brains were fixed and the brains we had would then continue to decline with age and there was little we could do about that. The discovery of neuroplasticity changed everything that was held as truth about the brain.


Certain neuroscientists refused to believe that the brain was capable of change.. Despite much push-back from the scientific community they continued to press on and discovered neuroplasticity.


Wikipedia refers to neuroplasticity as “changes in neural processes and synapses due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, emotions, as well as, changes resulting from bodily injuries”. It turns out that the brain is constantly changing and that goes on throughout our entire life. Brain changes occur on many levels from cellular changes due to learning to large scale changes involving cortical mapping in response to injury (Wikipedia).


I am living proof of the power of the brain to change and adapt. I have Meniere’s disease – a balance disorder. The right side of my brain was only contributing 15% to balance function and it was causing major dizziness and balance problems. So I had brain surgery to clip the vestibular nerve at the brain stem. As soon as that was done the right side of my brain received no signals and did not contribute to my balance function. The left side of my brain had to take over complete balance function. It was a slow process but after much rehab and constant challenge of my balance system, the left side of my brain is doing great keeping me upright. It still amazes me.


Research has shown that experience can actually change the structure (anatomy) and function (physiology) of the brain. Our brain adapts to our environment – positively or negatively. If you continually present negative learning experiences to your brain it may decline. Positive experiences create cell growth and resilience through synaptic creation. Think of the power we possess to be able to create high functioning brains by exposing them to novel and complex

environments.


The magic of neuroplasticity – we have the responsibility to give our brains the best experiences possible.

 
 
 

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   And suddenly it is May!! April turned out to be an extremely busy month and I was caught off-guard by the start of May. There are a lot of activities and celebrations that kick off May and start the Spring-Summer season. The 151st Running of the Kentucky Derby was May 3. It was a mudder this year. We had experienced consistent rain throughout April, and it hasn’t left the area. The horses in that race are incredibly beautiful even when they covered in mud! Sovereignty, a three-year-old colt was the winner!! In a move I applaud, the owner of this beautiful horse was asked if they were going to have him run in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown. This owner deferred his answer because he wanted to talk to his team, but most of all, he wanted to see how Sovereignty was doing. The Preakness is only a couple of weeks from the Kentucky Derby and the lure of winning the Triple Cown has resulted in some bad decisions about entering a horse that hadn’t recovered from the Derby. May 4, was the 27th Flying Pig Marathon. If you have been following me for a while, you would know that my husband Russ and I volunteered at the race, running a fluid station for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for 25 years. This race is amazing. Last year it was voted as one of the Best Marathons in the Country. I watched from the comfort of my dry home (still raining) and finally got to see what happens at the finish line. The stories of the runners were great! This race was the first time that the male winner had ever run a full marathon! The female winner had run many marathons, but this was the first time that she ran the Flying Pig! It sounded like she will be back next year because she said she was thinking while she was running that this was the most fun marathon, she had ever been in. (I can’t imagine even thinking while I was running a marathon!) Then there was an older woman who had just finished her 159th marathon! She was incredible! Next week she is on her way to New Zealand to run again! Everything these runners practice can be applied to maintaining a high-functioning brain. Of course, the lifestyle they practice is phenomenal for brain health. I teach about neuroplasticity and the power that we possess to change our brain. But to do that we must be dedicated to that change by repetitively and consistently challenging our brain. It is a marathon for brain health that we must live.

 

   May is Older Americans Month, and it is a time to recognize the contributions of older adults and highlight the positive impact they have on communities. The 2025 theme is “Flip the Script on Aging” encouraging individuals and communities to challenge negative stereotypes and celebrate the diverse experiences of aging. Celebrations often involve community events workshops, and activities designed to engage and connect older adults.

 

   I am booking online and in-person presentations for June. Topics are extensive. Contact me at patricia@myboomerbrain.com if you would like to discuss a presentation for an event or organization.Enjoy the renewal of May.

 

My very best, Pat

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